Chris Chiarella

The S&V Interview
Mix Master: The Sound of Skyfall
Chris Chiarella  |  Feb 14, 2013
Spin a few of sound re-recording mixer Greg P. Russell’s movies on a proper 5.1 or 7.1 system, and you’ll soon realize that this guy loves home theater. Having worked on more than 200 movies, including every Michael Bay opus since The Rock (although he freely admits “Armageddon was over the top”), Russell has crafted some of the most thrilling soundtracks of our generation.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Titanic
Chris Chiarella  |  Feb 13, 2013
Picture
3D-ness
Sound
Extras
Interactivity
How do you make a blockbuster film based on the all-too-familiar tale of the doomed luxury liner Titanic? Try giving it a context of modern-day exploration and discovery, weave in a resonant theme of class struggle and the folly of ambitious men, and put at its heart a romance that epitomizes the sweet stupidity of young love. And don’t forget to execute it all with an unprecedented technical genius.
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Soundbar Reviews
Yamaha YAS-101 Soundbar
Chris Chiarella  |  Jan 31, 2013
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $300 At a Glance: Renders 5.1 signals as "7.1" • Multiple digital inputs, no analog • An easy form factor to live with

The valley between most televisions' woeful onboard audio and the glory of a full-on 5.1-, 6.1-, or 7.1-channel audio system is a broad one indeed, and wending its way through the middle like some bittersweet creek is the much-maligned soundbar. Once dismissed by the techno-elite as home theater for the lazy, the soundbar has since evolved into a viable compromise bet ween…well, something great and nothing at all.

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Out Of The Blu
Three in 3D: Pina, Hotel Transylvania, Fascination Coral Reef
Chris Chiarella  |  Jan 26, 2013
Get those glasses ready: A pair of very different documentaries and an animated family comedy make the most of Blu-ray 3D.
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Out Of The Blu
Lightning Bug, Compliance, Cosmopolis
Chris Chiarella  |  Jan 19, 2013
An unlikely autobiography, an under-the-radar Cronenberg flick and an unsettling drama ripped from today's paranoia-fueled headlines make for offbeat Blu-ray viewing.
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Out Of The Blu
Samsara, Sleepwalk with Me, Hard Core Logo
Chris Chiarella  |  Dec 29, 2012
A 65mm/8K marvel dazzles the senses, then we check out a new take on the well-worn romantic comedy genre, and an enduring faux rockumentary. (No, not Spinal Tap.)
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Best of the Boxes: 2012’s Best Blu-ray Collections
Chris Chiarella  |  Dec 18, 2012
What better gift than a Blu-ray box set? We cherry pick the best of the best so you don't have to hunt to find that perfect gift for a family member, special friend or... yourself.
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Out Of The Blu
Following Christopher Nolan, Ashanti Restored and the Horrors of V/H/S
Chris Chiarella  |  Dec 14, 2012
Christopher Nolan completists rejoice, while a '70s exploitation flick and a(nother) found-footage scarer find their way to HD disc.
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Other TechNew Products
Ho-Ho-Home Theater’s 2012 Holiday Gift Guide!
Chris Chiarella  |  Dec 07, 2012
What do you get for the home theater buff who has everything…even if that home theater buff is you? We’ve uncovered an assortment of add-ons, doodads, and whatnot that will raise the bar on your audio/video rig and beyond.
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Out Of The Blu
Butter, Doctor Who Season Seven Part One, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry
Chris Chiarella  |  Nov 23, 2012
In yet another unfortunate consequence of the decline of brick-and-mortar video stores, we can't walk in and say "Gimme the Butta'."
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